Moistener.



G. H. PARFITT.

MOISTENER.

APPLICATION men MAR. 14, 1915.

1,188,310. Patented June. 20, 1916.

WWNEISSEISWZ i2 COLUMBIA PLANOCIRAPH c0., WASHINGTON, n. C

ATTORNEY GEOItGrE HENRY PABFIT'I, OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

MOISTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 20, 1916.

Application filedlvlarch 14, 1916. Serial No. 84,163.

' To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE HENRY PAR- 1ITT,,EL citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the countyof Alameda and State of California, have invented a new and usefulMoistener, of which the fol lowing is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved moistener for use in sealingenvelops, applying stamps, sealing wrappers, applying stickers, or forany other use, wherein it is desired to moisten for sealing, or thelike.

An object of the present invention is to provide a relatively smalldevice, which may be easily held in the hand and applied to the surfaceto be moistened, which has a wiper held at a downwardly inclined angle,so that the body of the moistener need be tilted at but a slight angle,and which has the wiper so arranged upon the end of the moistener thatwhen the moistener is placed fiat upon a table, desk, or the like, thewiper is held out of contact with the table or desk, so as not to wetthe same.

Further objects of the invention are to. provide a moistener with ahollow body adapted to contain a relatively large amount of water to besupplied to the wiper continuously, to provide a sanitary device, toprovide a device of simple construction having relatively few partswhich cannot easily get out of order, to provide a device which has anair valve for admitting air to the body, and to thus admit of the freeoutward flow or absorption of the water by the wick or wiper, and whichhas the air valve so disposed in the end of the devicethat the same maybe set upright on end, if desired, and without any danger of opening thevalve or releasing the water in the body.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a moistener ofthis character with a valve which'may be opened by the finger, so as toadmit air into the upper end of the body'to thus admit of the quicksaturation of the wiper after the device has stood without use forconsiderable time.

Other objects and advantages of theinvention will be brought out in thefollowing specific disclosure of the present preferred embodiment of theinvention, the same being illustrated in the accompanying drawing,wherein Figure 1 isa longitudinal central sectional view, taken througha moistener-constructed according to this invention, show ing the samein position on a fiat surface. Fig. 21s an outer end elevation of thesame,

showing the position of the wick or wiper.-

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View, taken through the forward end ofthe moistener on the line 33 of Fig. 1, and looking forwardly 1n thedirection indicated by the arrow. Fig. 1 is an inner end elevation ofthe inoistener. Fig. -5 is a transverse sectional V ew, taken on theline 55, through the inner end of the device'and looking in theispreferably internally threaded at its outer or lower end. This body 10is adapted to contain a quantity of water, or other suitable fluid usedin moistening surfaces for sealing, or other purposes. The outer end ofthe body 10, which is the lower end thereof when in use, is providedwith a cap 11. The cap 11'is in the form of a disk or platesubstantiallycircular in contour and engaging flat against the outer end of the body10 to close the same. The cap -11 has an inwardlyextending annularflange 12 which is preferably externally threaded for detachableengagement with the threaded outer end of the body 10.

For the purpose of maintaining the cylin-v drical body 10 from rollingwhen placed upon a flat surface, the cap 11 is provided with a baseflangeor foot 13. The foot 13 comprises an enlargement at the lower sideof the disk cap 11 provided with a straight lower edge adapted to liefiat upon the sup porting surface, and which extends laterally from thecap 11, as shown in Fig. 2.

As shown in Fig. 1', this foot or base flange '13 extends slightly belowthe adja-. cent s ide of thebody 10 to elevate the outer end of the bodyand hold it from rolling. By this peculiar formation of the cap '11, thelatter may be screwed tightly into the outer end of the body 10 to sealthe same and prevent escape ofv the fluid in the body.'- As the threadsof the flange 12 and. the body 10 become worn, it is readily understoodthatlthe cap 11 may be turned to-a greater extent into various. angularpositions upon not reg s t allt' e h 9116 P d ten the end, of thebody,and the foot 13.need 1 mined side of the body. The foot, therefore, iscarried by the cap, so that the cap will always be held in uprightposition,-irrespective of its angular adjustment upon the end of thebody.

The cap 11 carries a wiper 14 in the form of a strip of absorbent orwick material, which passes through an inclined opening 15 in the cap atthe base of the flange 12 and immediately over the foot 13. This opening15 is in the form of a transversely extending slot of substantial width,and which has its walls inclined downwardly and forwardly, so as todirect the outer end of the wiper 14 downwardly and outwardly, as shownin Figs. 1, 2 and 3. This wiper 14 projects beyond the face of the cap11 to an extent which admits of the easy contact of the wiper with thesurface to be moistened, but which, when the moistener lies flat upon asurface, will be raised above the surface, so as not to wet the same orbecome soiled by contact therewith. The inner end of the wiper 14extends into the cap 11 a short distance and is there immersed in thefluid contents of the body.

The disk cap 11 has at its top edge, or the edge diametrically oppositeto the foot 13, a straight boss 26 rounded for rubbing contact with thefiap of an envelop, or the like, in sealing or applying the same. Thefoot 13 and the boss 26 extend substantially at a tangent across thediametrically opposite sides of the cap 11. The boss 26 may be quicklybrought into position for use by merely turning the moistener over inthe hand.

The inner end of the body, which is the upper end of the device when inuse, is closed by a cap 16. As shown in Flgs. 1, 4

and 5, this cap 16 is preferably of circular contour and engages flatagainst the inner end of the body 10 to close the same. The cap 16 hasits inner end reduced to provide aplug portion 17, which is fitted intothe lower inner end of the body 10.

The cap 1.6, like the cap 11, may be permanently secured in the end ofthe cylinder or may be detachably mounted therein. In the presentdrawing, the cap 16 has the plug portion 17 thereof brazed or serratedin the cylinder, and is intended to be permanently attached thereto. Thecap v11 is shown detachable as it carries the wick 14, and the removalof the cap 11 admits not only of the easy filling of the body 10, butalso admits of the easy and quick adjustment and renewal of the wick 14.

The outer face of the cap 16 has a concaved recess 18 at its centralportion into which projects the outer end of a stem 19, which slidablyengages through an axially formed opening in the cap 16. At the innerend of this axial opening is a valve seat 20 against which engages avalve 21,

ressed against the seat by a spring 22. he valve 21 is housed within acounterbore or pocket 23 formed in the inner or plug portion of the cap16. The counterbore 23 is of a size slightly larger than the cap 16, andfor normally closing the inner ends of the vents 24 by the valve 21. Itis, of course, understood that any number of these vents 24 may beprovided in the cap 16.

A pin 25 is secured diametrically through the inner end of the cap 16,the pin traversing the pocket or counter-bore 23, and having suitablysecured thereto, the inner end of the spring 22 to thus hold the springagainst the valve 21. The stem 19 of the valve is of such length thatwhen the valve is seated, as shown in Fig. 1, the outer end of the stem19 lies within the plane of the end of the device, so that the valvewill not be unseated when the body 10 is set in upright position on end.However, the depression 18 is of such size as to admit the thumb orfinger of the operator for pressing the button or outer end of the stem19 to unseat the valve 21, and admit air through the vents 24 and intothe top of the cylinder 10.

With a moistener of this construction, it is readily understood that thecap 11 may be quickly removed and replaced upon the outer end of thecylindrical body 10 by merely screwing the cap into or out of engagementwith the body. This admits of the quick handling of the device infilling and cleaning the same, and in replacing new wicks or otherabsorbents when necessary. The base flange or foot 13 on the cap 11provides a positive means for preventing the rolling of the body 10,when it is placed down upon a flat surface, and provide a means whichdoes not depend upon any peculiar adjustment of the caps upon the endsof the cylinder, or any peculiar construction of the cylinder itself.When the moistener stands for a considerable length of time without use,the outer end of the wiper 14 naturally becomes dry.

When the moistener is picked up for use, it isnot necessary to shake thesame, and

to hold it in upright position for a considerable length of time inorder to work the water down into the wiper. It is only necessary toinsert the thumb or finger into the depression 18 and push the valvestem 19 inwardly to unseat the valve and admit air to the body. When theair is admitted to the body, the water will then be very quickly andreadily absorbedbythe Wiper 1 L.

When the adhesive on the flap of the envelop, or other surface, has beenmoistened and the flap turned down, the device may be easily turned overin the hand to place the straight boss 26 at the bottom of the cylinder,and the boss rubbed over the applied flap by the same reciprocatingmovement employed in moist-ening the adhesive. hat is claimed is Amoistener comprisinga cylinder, a removable cap threaded into the outerend of the cylinder, a second cap in the inner end of the cylinder andhaving a spring pressed air valve therein With a stem eX- tendingoutwardly from the valve and terminating Within the plane of the outerend Copies of this patent may be obtained for of the cap to provide apress button to open the air valve, and a Wiper carried through theremovable cap and projecting downwardly and outwardly therefrom, saiddetachable cap having a transversely extending flange at its lower sidebeneath the Wiper to hold the same upwardly out of contact with asupporting surface, and to prevent the rolling of the cylindrical body,and also having a straight boss extending substantially tangentiallyacross the upper side of the detachable cap to provide a sealing edge.In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aliiXedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE HENRY PARFITT. Witnesses:

M. DQHIOKOK, F, E. PARFITT.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, .D. O.

